The Walrus Says

By Jim Munro

Lawn Avenue School eighth-graders may have helped solve the question of gifts for Mother’s Day on May 9.

Class member Kerry Kardosz’s mom, Kim, an Avon representative, approached the company about participating in a fundraiser for the eighth grade’s class trip to Washington, D.C. in June. Avon came up with “Eternal Magic” a gift bag that has perfume, shower gel and lotion neatly packaged and ready to deliver to mom, grandmother, favorite aunt or friend. The gift bags will be available until Mother’s Day, and Kerry and her friends will deliver them to island residents. The gift bag is $25.50, including tax, and $10 of that will be donated to the trip fund. A sample of the bag is at the front desk in the Lawn Avenue School office. To place an order or if you have a question, call Kim or Kerry at 644-7032.

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Speaking of the Lawn Avenue School, kudos to fifth-grader Alex Trousilek, who was last week’s Newport Daily News
Student of the Week. The 11-year-old is editor of the The Lawn AvenueJournal,
a member of the Student Council and is active in school and community theater.

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A great line by Bill Reynolds in the ProJo: “You know the landscape has changed around here when now we have to worry about milk and bread for rain, too.”

A reader is curious about where this year’s crop of island high school graduates is headed in the fall. So are we! Are your grads going to a job, into the service or on to higher learning? Let us know! Drop us a line at the email address at the bottom of the column or give us a ring.

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If you have a special place in your heart for animals, I highly recommend Jon Katz’s latest book, “Soul of a Dog.” It’s a quick read, 184 pages, and you’ll come away feeling good and with a whole new way of looking at quadrupeds.

*** Great response to B.J.’s poser. Elizabeth Mancini and Christine Ariel wrote that it’s “Rockin’ Robin” by Bobby Day.

George James, communicating from his handheld Blackberry, added that Michael Jackson did a version. Susan Rembijas sent us lyrics, “All the little birds on Jay- Bird Street love to hear that robin go ‘Tweet, Tweet, Tweet!’”

“Tweet tweed-lee-deet,” wrote Peter Pemantell. “The name of this one is ‘Rocking Robin.’ WOW, this one brought back some memories. I can remember the dances at the recreation center when I was in school and this was a song that was great to dance to. I no longer dance but remember those dances very well (in those days in Jamestown, there were not that many activities and we all looked forward to anything out of the norm). We all had our dance partners and mine was my sister-in-law, Donna. Good old days!”

And, from Sam Bari, “The “Rocking Robin” out-bopped the buzzard and the oriole. It was recorded by Bobby Day in 1958 and was his only hit single. Michael Jackson recorded the tune at a later date.”

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A query from Sam: Before “Blue Suede Shoes” was a hit recording by Elvis Presley, it was the flip side of what classic rock ‘n’ roll recording?

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Block out May 15 on your calendar. Boy Scout Troop 1 will once again present its popular annual fundraising pasta dinner at St. Matthew’s church. Troop members are selling tickets at $10 per adult and $5 for children 13 years and under.

Proceeds help fund the troop’s activities, including its annual sojourn to campsite Wetuomuck at Yawgoo this year from Aug. 8 through 15.

Someone tell the pasta planners that a 12-year-old can eat as much as an adult.

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As a happy Toyota owner, I can’t help but feel that the $16 million fine against the company had much to do with the Obama administration running GM. Also, Toyota has open shops and the UAW owns Congress. We note that GM has just come up with its own recall. Let’s see how the feds and the media play that one, if at all.

*** More on the saga of the early Jamestown School janitors. From Linda Hull down in South Kingstown, “I’ve been reading about the first janitors at the Jamestown [Lawn Ave.] School. I was married to Richard Hull and can confi rm that he and Bill Glenn were the first janitors at the school. Clarke Westall was only about four when the school opened in 1955. Richard was hired to help “Uncle” Bill – as our kids called him – shortly after he returned from the Korean War in late 1954, shortly after his niece, Nettie Caswell, was born. Clarke was hired after Bill retired, though I’m not sure of the year. Richard left the school in 1964 or so, when the school administration wanted him to put in many extra hours of work – without extra pay! He may have been the only janitor at that time.”

Patti Vandal wrote, “I was living in Florida in 1955 when the school opened. I started teaching at Lawn Avenue in 1956. At the time, the janitors were Bill Glenn and Frank Brayman. Dick Hull and Clarke Westall were both there, but at a later date.

*** On the question from Nancy O’Brien about the first-grade teacher, Patti Vandal said she believes it was Grace Smith, who was the first-grade teacher who went from Carr School to Jamestown School.

Matt Clarke weighed in, saying that it had to be either Ida Richards or Florence Brazil. “I had them both as teachers and each was wonderful. I think Mrs. Brazil was the first-grade teacher and Mrs. Richards was the thirdgrade teacher.”

And, Peter Pemantell wrote that he thinks it was Mrs Brazil. “I can’t remember who my firstgrade teacher was and it was only 59 years ago that I was in that grade...hummm, must be getting old and forgetful!”

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Our question about Joe Palooka has not been forgotten. Patti Vandal said Sam Bari said he was a comic strip boxer. Sam added that the strip was originated by Ham Fisher and then taken over by others after he died. He said it lasted for more than half a century.

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The Friends of the Jamestown Library, along with the Conanicut Grange, will present “A Green Cafe” tonight at 7 at the library. There will be a showing of the movie “Food, Inc.,” followed by a panel of local farmers discussing the foods we eat and how we can eat healthy local produce.

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If the past is any indication, we can relax this fall. The fearmongering hurricane pundits have forecast a nasty hurricane season.

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A Snapple cap moment: Ulysses Simpson Grant once received a $20 fine for speeding on his horse.

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Today would normally be income tax day, but it got rained out.

*** Be true!

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Call in your stuff to 423-0383or 829-2760, or email us at jtnwalrus@hotmail.com.